Plutonium , including Technical Data, Safety Data and its
high purity properties,
research, applications and other useful facts are discussed below. Scientific facts such as the
atomic structure,
ionization energy,
abundance on Earth,
conductivity and
thermal properties are included.
Plutonium is a Block F, Group 3, Period 7 element. The number of electrons in each of Plutonium‘s shells is 2, 8, 18, 32, 24, 8, 2 and its electronic configuration is [Rn] 5f6 7s2. In its elemental form plutonium‘s CAS number is 7440-07-5. The plutonium atom has a radius of 151.3.pm and it‘s Van der Waals radius is 200.pm. Plutonium is radioactive and toxic.
Plutonium is found in some concentrated ores of uranium. Plutonium was discovered by Glenn T. Seaborg, Edwin M. McMillan, J. W. Kennedy and A. C. Wahl in 1940. The element Plutonium was named after the planet Pluto.
Plutonium Abundance. The following table shows the abundance of plutonium and each of its naturally occurring isotopes on Earth along with the atomic mass for each isotope.
Isotope
|
Atomic Mass
|
% Abundance on Earth
|
Pu-239
|
239.052157
|
-
|
Pu-244
|
244.064198
|
-
|
Plutonium Safety Data. The safety data for plutonium metal, nanoparticles and its compounds can vary widely depending on the form. For potential hazard information, toxicity, and road, sea and air transportation limitations, such as DOT Hazard Class, DOT Number, EU Number, NFPA Health rating and RTECS Class, please see the specific material or compound referenced in the left margin. Plutonium compounds have no biological role.
Ionization Energy. The ionization energy for plutonium (the least required energy to release a single electron from the atom in it‘s ground state in the gas phase) is stated in the following table:
1st Ionization Energy
|
581.44 kJ mol-1
|
2nd Ionization Energy
|
- kJ mol-1
|
3rd Ionization Energy
|
- kJ mol-1
|
Conductivity. As to plutonium‘s electrical and thermal conductivity, the electrical conductivity measured in terms of electrical resistivity @ 20 ?C is 150 ?Ocm and its electronegativities (or its ability to draw electrons relative to other elements) is 1.3. The thermal conductivity of plutonium is 6.74 W m-1 K-1.
Thermal Properties of Plutonium. The melting point and boiling point for plutonium are stated below. The following chart sets forth the heat of fusion, heat of vaporization and heat of atomization.
Heat of Fusion
|
2.8 kJ mol-1
|
Heat of Vaporization
|
343.5 kJ mol-1
|
Heat of Atomization
|
348 kJ mol-1
|
|
|
Formula
|
Atomic Number
|
Molecular Weight
|
Electronegativity (Pauling)
|
Density
|
Melting Point
|
Boiling Point
|
Vanderwaals radius
|
Ionic radius
|
Energy of first ionization
|
Pu
|
94
|
944 g.mol -1
|
1.28
|
19.816 g/L
|
639.4? °C
|
3228 °C
|
.200 nm
|
151.3 pm
|
581.44 kJ.mol-1
|
|